Cold Comfort
by Mutant Horse
Summary: Ginny's cries. Draco comforts. It's the beginning of something beautiful.
1. Chapter One : The Scandal

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Cold Comfort

The Scandal

A lone figure sat on the rock but the lake staring up at the sky, there was a northern lights going on and everyone was watching from the quidditch pitch, except for two people of course. One was sitting on the rock and the other was watching from further down the lake; Ginny Weasley sighed as she folded her arms around her knees and lightly pressed her chin into her arms. The dancing lights were so beautiful; they made her feel disconnected from the world that surrounded her. She caught glimpses of blue, pink, orange, even deep streaks of purple that weaved in with the rest of the colours making them seem connected in everyway. She oohhed and ahhed appropriately with a giggle in between, then she looked around. Where was that goddamn bottle? It had probably fallen into the shallow water lapping at the base of the rock, growling she looked back to the sky and once again was lost to the colours.

A while down the river, Draco Malfoy watched the same show with the same sentiment but a sense of detachment settling in his bones, he'd been feeling this detachment for a few weeks now. The colours weren't exactly hurting his pale silver eyes; it was more of an itch that made him want to start clawing at his eyeballs. Suddenly the show faded away and he smiled a twisted smile. Much better, now the sky was only gray. The smile stayed there but wasn't so twisted as he trudged back up the path; he hesitating seeing a form on the rock, the rock he usually sat on wishing for complete darkness instead of gray, that Weasley girl, that's who it was wasn't it? Yes, it was, so why wasn't she hanging around Potter? She was still lovesick with him wasn't she? He frowned ever so slightly and looked back in her direction, to his suprise she was looking right at him. "Enjoy the show, did we Malfoy?" She asked with a slightly dazed sound to her voice.

"You sound drunk, Weasley. Go to bed."

"No. I think I'll stay out here for the rest of the night." Ginny smiled to herself and blinked away the glazed appearance of her dark brown eyes.

Draco was tempted to leave then but something was off about her; she was swaying slightly and her speech was slurred. "You really are drunk, aren't you?" as he spoke a bottle slipped from the rock and fell with a soft thud onto the dirt; he walked over and picked it up, it was a half-full bottle of whiskey.

"Give it here, Malfoy," Ginny made a grab for it and almost fell off the rock; only just managing to keep her balance, by sheer luck it seemed. Stars seemed to swirl around in her head so fast that she began feeling dizzy.

"You can't even hold your drink," he sneered disdainfully at her

"Give me back the bottle and go away," Ginny blurted out unhappily

"Cheap brand too, not that I could expect anything else from a _Weasley_," to his utter shock and uncomfortable disbelief she sniffled.

"I know. Pathetic isn't it?" 

Now he felt like a real ass. No one had _cried_ in front of him before, let alone because of him, she was still talking. 

"I mean, I'm just Ginny. Nobody would care if I hit my head and drowned in the lake."

"You're ass of a brother would," he said uncomfortably, unwilling to comfort her.

"No. He's too busy trying to sabotage Harry and Hermione."

"Is that why your drinking? Because of those three prats?" Draco would've laughed but now she looked at him with tears in her eyes. _'Oh no. She's not really going to actually cry, is she?'_ He was beginning to panic, he himself hadn't cried since he was six.

"No. Although they are prats."

"She's realised after how long?" he paused, then sighed, cursing his conscience "Then... why?" Draco knew he didn't want to hear this but asked anyway because it was his good deed of the day. It was this thing that Professor McGonagall had with him; she wouldn't give him detention for blowing up Potter's hedgehog in Transfiguration if he tried to be nice once a while.

"I feel invisible."

"You're hard to miss with that hair," he hadn't meant for that to come out, it spoilt the good deed but she smiled tearfully. He felt immensely relieved when she did this.

"Everyone else has straight red hair. But mine's just--wavy. No, that's not my problem. I feel overshadowed. I'm just me. My brothers all have something they can put to their name."

Draco couldn't stand to listen to this for much longer so he spoke up; "Grow a backbone, Weasley! You'll always be just _you_ if you don't do anything about it."

"Oh, well. I am the girl who got tricked by Voldemort."

"There. You've started already, good for you," he whirled on his heel and started back up the path.

"Hey, give me back my bottle!" There was the sound of footsteps stumbling after him.

"I think I'll keep it, you'll pass out if you have anymore. Go to bed." There was a thud and he stopped, holding his breath. Turning he saw her plain as day in the moonlight, unconscious on the dirt, "Oh bloody hell." Draco retraced his steps back to her prone form, nudging her with his shoe he sighed, out cold. Cursing the little part of his brain that made him pick her up, Draco adjusted to her light weight and looked down at her pale face, those freckles stood out in stark relief; she was right, her hair was wavy. Probably the only variation that made her stand out from the rest of the Weasley's. "You will owe me for this," he told her small face with a resigned sigh.

Despite how light she was, it was not easy to manouver through the trees that seemed to reach out to scratch him, remembering where he was he realised they probably were reaching out to harm him. "Back off," he hissed. There was a rustle and the trees were still once more. Noting that everyone had gone back inside already, as the quidditch pitch was empty; the night was as empty as it felt. Or so he thought.

"Malfoy, what are you doing?"

At the sound of Potter's voice he glanced over his shoulder.

"Taking her to the hospital wing, Potter. What does it look like?"

"Taking who?" before Draco could object, the nosy Gryffindor stepped forward and peered at the form in Draco's arms. "It's Ginny!"

"_No!--"_ Draco gasped sarcastically, smirking all the while "--and here I was thinking it was your favourite mudblood." Potter flushed angrily at his words and dug out his wand, pointing it straight at Draco's forehead; annoying mouth opening to utter a hex but no sound came out. The taller Slytherin smirked. "You can't can you? Not while I've got her as a human shield."

"No, Malfoy, unlike you, I don't hit people when they're defenceless."

"It's no wonder Voldemort's still alive then. If you're the one whose supposed to save us I think we're all doomed," even Draco was shocked at how Potter responded; he just put his wand away. 

"Did I hit a nerve, Potter?" There was a rush of twisted satisfaction that came free with the thought of having one up on the Boy-Who-Lived, but if he didn't go away soon, he wouldn't be alive for much longer.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry said bitterly then continued with his gaze on Ginny. "Give her here, I'll take her up to the hospital wing. Save you the pain of doing something right," he held out his arms avoiding his enemy's eyes.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Play hero as usual? I'll take her up, I know why she's unconscious."

"Did you do it?"

"You're even more stupid then I thought. See this bottle?" he indicated the bottle lying on Ginny's stomach with a laugh.

"Ginny was drinking whiskey? Why?"

"Dense too. Go to your little mudblood girlfriend, Potter. You'll get no respect here," reluctantly, the supposed saviour of the world looked down on Ginny who was still unconscious.

"Take her straight to the hospital wing, Malfoy. I'm _warning _you."

"Actually, I was planning on taking her to my dorm and ravishing her. But since you insist, I'll take her to the hospital wing first." 

He blushed. 

Potter actually blushed. 

Draco entertained the notion that The Boy Who Lived was _still_ a virgin. 

"If you lay a hand on her." Harry said threateningly.

Definately a virgin. 

And it was their seventh year. 

How pathetic. 

"Well, I better just drop her unceremoniously on the ground right here then." Draco made as if he was going to drop her. Harry blanched reaching forward. The Slytherin laughed scornfully at him; "I wouldn't touch her if I had a choice, Potter. Hurry back. I can see the invisible leash tugging. Granger must be waiting," with an angry snarl, Harry Potter stormed away and soon disappeared through the shadows. "I see your point now, Weasley." Draco muttered to the prone Gryffindor who didn't respond. With a sigh he continued up through the snickering greenery to the castle entrance.

* * * * * 

The halls were silent as Draco proceeded through them, looking around him at the paintings; they shifted themselves to gaze after him in confusion, it wasn't everyday you saw Draco Malfoy doing something that didn't involve benefits for himself. A few paintings actually murmured in shock, he studiously ignored them, kept his gaze firmly on the corridor in front of him. He arrived at the hospital wing and knocked on the door with his foot.

"Just a moment, please," came Madam Pomfrey's voice, a few moments later the door was opened and the nurse's face peered out at him. "Mr Malfoy? How can I-oh! Who have you got there?" She swung the door open and ushered him inside.

"It's--" he actually had to say her first name, he blew a strand of blonde hair away from his eyes in exasperation.

"Weasley, is it? Yes, I was wondering if I'd see her tonight," at his look of bewilderment she smiled. "You look confused."

"That's because I am."

"Oh, Virginia is learning some medicine techniques. I have an apprentice, it's quite nice actually. Gets a bit lonely with only sick people around. Now! What's wrong with her?"

__

Where should I start? Draco said dryly to himself but shook the sarcastic remark from the tip of his tongue. "I found her drunk on the edge of the lake. Took the bottle and then she came after me and fell flat on her face." Draco left out the part where Potter had been, because all he served to do was take the spotlight.

"Drunk? How on earth did she manage to get alcohol? Honestly, these days." Madam Pomfrey tutted and motioned towards an empty bed. "Put her down. She'll have to sleep it off. What did she drink?"

"Whiskey."

"By merlin. Did she really? That is quite strong stuff," the thought of the school nurse drinking whiskey, being drunk even, amused Draco.

"Where on the lake?"

"Pardon?"

"Where on the lake was she, boy?"

"Sitting on that boulder."

"Of course, she was. Watching the show I suppose?"

"Yes."

"Did you enjoy the show?" she asked, determined to get a longer answer out of him.

"It hurt my eyes," that made her pause, and she tilted her head studying him.

"It hurt your eyes? Has this happened before? Perhaps it was because-"

"It wasn't a medical fault. Can I go?" Draco was getting antsy; he had a disconcerting feeling that the nurse knew more than she let on and that she could read him like a book. He needed to get out of there and soon.

"Yes. I'll tell Miss Weasley that-"

"She won't care. So don't bother."

"Alright then, Draco."

"That's _Mr_ Malfoy to you," he snarled and left the room, leaving her to stare after him and then looked back at her young helper.

"That boy has some serious problems."

* * * * *

The first thing the young Gryffindor thought when her eyes opened the next morning was _'oh no.'_ Ginny hadn't even moved and she already felt incredibly nauseous, so naturally her second thought was to be _'I'm going to throw up.'_ With a thick groan, Ginny rolled over and felt as though her brain was hammering it's way out of her skull. After relieving the contents of her stomach into a bowl that was conveniently by her bedside, she rolled back onto her bed and concentrated on the pounding inside her head. It was like that one time Ron had attempted to play some of those muggle drums; she'd been in bed with headaches for a whole day. 

"You're awake, Miss Weasley." Madam Pomfrey yanked open the curtain surrounding her bed, Ginny wondered fuzzily when the curtains had been installed, when she had last visited Harry in here there hadn't been a thing, just open spaces.

"Obviously, how did I get here?" Ginny grumbled putting a hand to her head.

"Nevermind that, I am severely disappointed in you, young lady. Of all things, you went and got drunk on whiskey and on school grounds too. I really thought you were different from the rest of them, I will most definately be suggesting to Dumbledore that you be kept under surveillance-"

"No!" Ginny interrupted the nurse with a cry of horror but it didn't deter the woman.

"-if you develop a problem." Ginny was aptly miserable and looked down, tears beginning to collect in her eyes, "oh dear. Please don't cry, you know your tears seem to be contagious to me." With an effort she cleared up her tears, but still remained a little misty-eyed. "Good girl, now will you be alright to go to breakfast?"

"My head is pounding to a rhythm. What do you think?"

"I suppose not. Do you want a glass of water?"

"I'd love one." _'If I can keep it down, that is.' _Ginny thought with a groan she briefly attempted to sit up, only managing to get herself more frustrated. "Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes?" the nurse was bustling about, searching for a cup and then headed over to the tap. Ginny watched her silently for a few moments. Madam Pomfrey turned around, raising her eyebrows at the student.

"How did I get up here?"

Handing the cup of water to her young companion the nurse sighed sitting at the chair beside her bed. "A student brought you in. He said you had collapsed."

"Oh." Ginny fell once more into silence, "Wait, he?"

"Oh, yes. _Mr _Malfoy," the Gryffindor choked on the sip of the water she had only just taken and Madam Pomfrey patted her patiently on her back. "I was suprised myself, is there something going on Virginia?"

"No!" Ginny couldn't believe this, how could Madam Pomfrey even begin to conceive that there was something going on. It was _in_conceivable! Also, the look Poppy Pomfrey was giving her was grating against her already frayed nerves.

"No need to get defensive. I would like to know what happened." Ginny scowled at the insufferable cheerfulness of the nurse, which only made her laugh. "Go on, Miss Weasley, I'm sure this will be a delightful story."

"It is not a delightful story! He was absolutely horrid to me…I think." Ginny added under her breath, saying that, she realised that she really couldn't remember anything. Not a thing. Thinking about it wasn't much of an option either; it made her head pound even more furiously; double beat, as if a professional muggle drummer was playing for his life.

"You think? The whiskey probably altered your memory a little bit. I should think you will regain it soon." Madam Pomfrey took the glass from the unresisting student and set it on the bedside table.

"You should think, so I'll remember the whole thing?"

"There's no reason for you not to," the old nurses eyes began to gleam with a look Ginny knew all to well, "perhaps you'll remember a sordid affair!" with her loudest groan yet, Ginny turned over and refused steadfastly to answer. Who knew that the nurse of the hospital wing had the biggest desire for gossip, and it didn't look like Ginny could even leave the bed to pretend to get some fresh air. It would be a long day.

* * * * *

That evening, after escaping from Madam Pomfrey's clutches and just before she went to dinner Ginny stopped off at her dorm. It was as cluttered as ever with the other girl's belongings, her own belongings were relatively as she'd left them, except for the little make-up she had, the bag had been tipped out onto her bag and sifting through it, Ginny saw that someone had stolen her watermelon lip gloss. Deciding that it had probably been Amelia, and that she would recollect it later that night she stared into the mirror, her skin looked washed out and on searching for it, Ginny realised someone had also used her moisturiser. Growling, she blinked disgustedly at her reflection and then turned away, not wanting to see anymore _'Congratulations Ginny, you've been able to make yourself look as bad as you feel.'_ Her inner voice taunted her maliciously and she slapped both her hands over her forehead. Then she heard the door to the dorm room squeak slightly as it opened and a voice calling out to her. 

"Ginny? Are you in here?"

It was Hermione, poking her head just inside the door.

"What do you want?" Ginny didn't mean for her words to come out so sharply, the irritable ache on the nape of her neck had replaced the pounding of her head and now one third of the dream team had come to collect information to report back.

"I didn't see you all day. Where were you? The whole school is talking about this supposed scandal!"

"Hospital wing. Scandal?"

"Yes, scandal. So Malfoy…was telling the truth?" this information seemed to floor Hermione and she came further into the room emboldened by some odd reason.

"What?"

The look of superiority came over Hermione's face, making her face look snobbish, "oh, he was just having his usual insult of the day…" She took a moment to fret over the obvious indignity she felt of this and then shook herself, "…when Harry asked about you." Hermione actually winked, she probably thought that Ginny still liked Harry like that, there was a little something but nothing she was about to blush and giggle about like the snooty elder girl wished. When Ginny didn't react to the wink, Hermione flushed and then carried on, "Harry kind of went silent, and then Malfoy asked after _you_. Ron, well he'd started being a bit overprotective and if I hadn't been standing behind him he probably would've fainted! And then-"

Ginny held up a hand to ward off the next wave of words.

"Draco Malfoy asked after _me_?" despite herself she was interested in what the Head Girl had to say about this, she was hoping it would set off more memories. All day long she'd been having little memory flashes and it was annoying as hell, like when you were trying to think of a word, but you couldn't quite reach it.

"Yes, mind you he had that always present sneer on his face. Honestly, and then he said that you two had fun! I've never seen Harry blush so terribly, well, now Malfoy's probably sporting a bruise or two. I accidentally forgot to hold Ron back," for such a studious student Hermione sure talked a lot, Ginny took a moment to dwell on this but realised that Hermione was _still_ talking. Deciding to tune the rest of her fellow student's words out because it was a strong possibility all she was babbling on about now was Harry and Ron's bravery and defending the trio's honour. Finally after watching the older girls mouth move for a further five minutes Ginny realised Hermione was glaring at her with a scowl. 

"Are you even listening to me, Ginny Weasley?" Hermione demanded, somehow managing a petulant posture even when sitting down.

"Yes?" she meant for it to come out as an affirmative but that didn't work as well as she had hoped and it was more of a question, Ginny hoped Hermione hadn't noticed but by the anger darkening her brown eyes obviously she had. Perceptive girl she was.

"I was just saying that-oh forget it! It's not like you would listen, is it? You should rethink your attention span, Virginia," with a huff Hermione got off the bed with a stamp of her foot for emphasis and then turned, folding her arms impatiently. 

"Coming down to dinner? We're already late. Should really cut down our chat timing, Ginny," all Ginny could manage was a strangled gasp of disbelief, first the seventh year Gryffindor was sniping at her and now was insulting _her_ attention span? Hermione needed to come back down to earth, and fast. Reluctantly she followed Hermione down into and out of the common room, she could almost hear the cling and clatter of the Great Hall as she moved after her silently. It was one of those things she had acquired while trying to avoid her family at home in The Burrow, which was no small feat.

When the pair of Gryffindor's reached the Great Hall Hermione strode ahead, her precious prefect badge flashing, standing apart from her robes, briefly Ginny pondered whether or not Hermione spent more than an hour polishing the damn thing. An image of Hermione leaning over her prefect badge, wax and a rag in hand, her hair stringy with many hours of sweating over the blinding flash of her prefect badge silver. Ginny could almost picture what she would be saying, _"My precioussss… mine…"_ A small smile flitted over her mouth and she ducked her head, staring at her feet as she kept walking, there was a small hush of silence over the hall. Ginny glanced up abruptly and looked around with quick jerky movements of her head and neck. Then she remembered Hermione's words; funny how the important speech seemed to sink in. _'The whole school is talking about this supposed scandal.'_

With a strangled gasp, Ginny looked down and hurried towards the Gryffindor table, well aware of the blush on her cheeks. She absolutely hated this kind of attention! Hated it with a passion, sitting she avoided the glances of the housemates around her. Finally she looked up and glared at them all, even though the glare was weak, then she realised she had plonked down directly next to Harry and Hermione was gazing wide-eyed at her. 

Ron was about to attack and he actually made an effort to control himself by banging his head onto his plate. "How" _clunk_ "could" _clunk_ "you"_ clunk _"be" _clunk _"out" _clunk _"at" _clunk _"night" _clunk_ "with" _clunk _"MALFOY!" with a final _clunk_ he looked up at the ceiling and wailed. A bemused younger sister who raised her eyes to the ceiling took this in and then down again, by then Ron had just thunked his head onto the unfortunately empty plate and stayed there. "How could she? My baby sister?" Ron was now muttering to himself but Ginny wasn't listening. The object of her brother's helpless rage had been watching the display of insanity along with the rest of the hall, the professor's were all talking amongst themselves. Professor Snape had an evil grimace on his face that was probably a twisted smirk, and Professor McGonagall was looking quite worried, her lips set in a thin strained line. But Ginny didn't notice any of that, not even Hermione trying unsuccessfully trying to comfort Ron, or Harry's disbelieving snickers. She was staring across the hall at Draco Malfoy who stared unblinkingly back. Then the flash came to her, a whole memory, and not just annoying fragments.

__

Here went-sure he would laugh at her "I feel invisible."

"You're hard to miss with that hair."

Ginny gaped drunkenly at him. Was that a Malfoy-esque compliment?

"Everyone else has straight red hair. But mine's just wavy…no, that's not my problem. I feel overshadowed. I'm just me. My brothers all have something they can put to their name."

"Grow a backbone, Weasley! You'll always be just you if you don't do anything about it."

"Oh, well. I am the girl who got tricked by Voldemort."

"There. You've started already, good for you," then he was walking away, the edges blurred like Tom Riddle when he had come out of that diary she had treasured, suddenly there was two Draco Malfoy's and then she yelped something, he didn't even bother turning around and she struggled to move. Then thud, her face met the dirt and the last thing she thought of was the frightened look in his eyes when she hadn't met his hostility with anger.

Shaking her head slightly to herself she tore her gaze away looking down at her plate, ignoring Ron who was now bringing the plate up to meet his face. Then the plate met his face with food on it and the entire hall exploded into laughter. Ginny stared at her brother with wide eyes as he threw the plate down, glaring at it and then snatched the serviette Hermione held out. Amidst the laughter Ginny saw Malfoy getting to his feet and then leaving the hall, for once, Ginny noted, successfully shaking off both his goons and that Pansy Parkinson girl that seemed to be clamping on his arm all the time. Making up her mind, she slipped away from the Gryffindor table for once grateful for her notoriety and snuck out of the hall after him. Fortunately she could still hear his footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent corridor rushing after the sound she tried in vain to catch up to him.

Turning the corner she lost her balance but was gripped by a pair of merciless arms and stared up into a pair of equally merciless gray eyes.


	2. Chapter Two : The Iceberg

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Cold Comfort

Tip of the Iceberg

"What do _you_ want?" Draco Malfoy hissed angrily, Ginny hiccupped in fear despite herself.

"Uh-well, I-I…"

"Oh, how very glib, Weasley. Did you come after me to work on your vocabulary or just to amuse me?" at his words Ginny bit her lip and straightened up, to her full height of-not very much. She still only reached his upper chest.

"I came to say thank you, actually."

His look at her was both incredulous and suspicious, "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Last night." Ginny ventured timidly and he stayed silent. "I'm not wrong am I? Was it someone else?"

"You'd like that, you would wouldn't you? If you hero Potter had saved you? You'll have settle for second best." The anger was undeniably flaring up in his eyes, heating them up like a kiln with pottery and Ginny actually shrank back. 

"It was you! I know, because you're getting so upset!"

"I'm not getting upset." Draco gritted his teeth and she shrugged the action, seemingly harmless blew his temper past its safety gauges. "You want to know something, Weasley? Your saviour almost _did_ save you, but scurried off to his mudblood of a girlfriend." Ginny drew back even further but he reached out and gripped her upper arm, "So I guess you're right, you are invisible to him, and everyone else."

Ginny squeaked trying to wrench her arm out of his grip but contrary to what everyone thought, he wasn't the new Slytherin quidditch team captain for nothing. "You have no right to use that against me!"

"Oh, really? How are you going to stop me? I could tell the whole school."

"They wouldn't believe you," that was the only thing Ginny had said so far with total confidence.

"Are you positive about that? There would be little seeds of doubt, 'Oh, what if for once in his useless life, Malfoy was telling the truth?' Consider that." Draco couldn't recall the last time he had reacted to someone so emotionally, something about her following him, even just to express gratitude boiled his blood inside it's veins. Then a face peeped around the corner and then the rest of the body followed, jumping out into the light from the lit torch.

"W-whose there?" It was Neville Longbottom. Groaning simultaneously the pair looked over at him, Neville saw Ginny and his face lit up. Draco nearly choked on laughter, Ginny whipped around to glare at him, then turned to look at Neville with a small but obviously forced smile.

"Neville, what are you doing down here?" she tried to ask gently,

"I saw you leaving…and…" This was too much for Draco who practically collapsed on the nearest thing, which, conveniently was Ginny, he slung an arm as a rest for his forehead on her shoulder and continued shaking with laughter. "S-s-shut up, M-malfoy! You're n-n-nothing but a big b-b-b-bully!" Choking back fresh bout of laughter, Draco straightened and moved past Ginny, closer to a suddenly smaller and meeker looking Neville.

"If I'm such a bully, Longbottom, I'll have no problem hexing you," with that Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at the sudden frozen stiff with fear Neville. Ginny shrieked and jumped at Draco from behind, trying to distract him. _"Petrificus Totalus"_ Neville fell back as stiff as a board onto the cold ground.

"A body bind, Malfoy? I thought you were supposed to be a Dark Wizard or something." Draco tucked his wand away, ignoring Ginny's unusually snide yet decidedly shaky remark.

"In order for me to kill someone, they have to matter."

"Oh, that just puts everything in perspective." Ginny muttered going over to Neville, kneeling and gently prodded his stiff body with her forefinger. Then she paused, his words sinking in, straightened with a gulp she looked right at him with her lower lip beginning to tremble. "Are you saying you have killed someone?"

"I don't think I have to tell you anything," he said glowering at her; Ginny thought he looked even more intimidating that usual shrouded in the shadows.

"I think I have a right for you to tell me! I am standing a corridor all alone with you." Ginny said this nervously as he strode forward to stop at the otherside of the prone body.

"Don't be stupid, Weasley. You have Longbottom to keep you company." At this, he kicked lightly at the leg of the unfortunate boy. "Besides, you don't matter, not to me, not to anyone." A retort was on the edge of her tongue but it died away as he turned to leave,

"You're just going to leave me-uh, _us_ here like this?" Ginny asked timidly

"I'm sure you can manage to counter it. It'll be your greatest event of life. Weasley conquers Malfoy's curse, that is if you could." With that, he melodramatically swept his robes about him and headed down the corridor. 

After a few stunned moments of disbelief Ginny clambered back to her feet, staggering slightly in the dark and gripped her wand, _"Lumos."_ Racing after him, damn her shorter legs and then grabbed his robes with a shaking hand. 

"Keep your grubby fingers _off_ my robes, Weasley!" Draco roared trying to rip himself away, she had a stronger grip on the material than expected.

"No! You undo that hex right now or I'll-" It was right then when Ginny saw his wand coming up, he hadn't even bothered tucking in back into his robes, now it was pointed right in-between her eyes and judging by the look in his eyes. He was so…she didn't know what it was but she thought briefly that her life was about to end, or that she was about to be seriously maimed. But then she saw the trembling of his hand, the hand holding the wand, "Draco?" Ginny whispered, his first name seemed appropriate to use, to use a touch of familiarity, his eyes flickered and just for a moment the Malfoy mask was dropped and she thought she saw something different but then his eyes steeled and closed up like the family vault at Gringotts.

"I'm not going to kill you," he muttered through gritted teeth and forced his wand to lower, "not right now anyway." Draco whipped the wand back up and muttered another word so fast Ginny couldn't catch it, her hair immediately fell down along her shoulders and back, shocked she stood there as he strode off once more, not running after him this time. There was something underneath that horrible exterior, after all he couldn't even accept gratitude and the most normal person could, but Draco Malfoy wasn't normal, he was unfamiliar territory that Ginny wondered if she could explore and get out before it was too late. Only moments before she had only scraped the tip of the iceberg, there was a lot of ice submerged under water.

* * * * *

The next few days passed without event, Neville had been released by Ginny, who had immediately escaped afterwards, going to hurl herself onto her bed in her otherwise empty dorm room, all the while thinking that she would never ever understand guys. They were the most frustrating, not to mention weird, creatures on this earth, that muggle saying was true, can't live with them, and can't live without them. The latter part of the saying was the thing that she wished wasn't so true, she knew enough about sex and that and all of that to not be so disillusioned as to think women could live without men. Funny that a few days later she was once again in that position in an empty dorm room, Ginny had been trying to ask around about Malfoy all day, but all she got from her fellow Gryffindor's was the same sort of comment.

__

"A slimy son of a bitch!" (Harry, who had been suprisingly awkward around her when she finally managed to corner him) Thinking of Harry reminded her that she wanted to find out if Malfoy's words were true, that he had left her there to go to Hermione, but while she had been pondering a way to bring the subject up he had escaped. _"The most vile person, and student ever, it's unfortunate there's brains under there somewhere." _(Hermione, who had her nose in a book as always) and of course there was her ever 'placid' brother._ "Gin, you know me well enough to know my views on _**that**_, but since it's a chance to rag on Malfoy..." _Ron had then proceeded to bitch about Draco for about ten minutes. Ginny didn't actually know how long her brother had gone on because she had slipped up to her room, sighed heavily and collapsed on the bed where she was still lying.

"Is everything this complicated?" she asked herself, her voice muffled by the pillow as she contemplated the last week with a sense of detachment. It was quite strange, in the last week she had, had more contact with Draco Malfoy then she had ever before and Ginny was absolutely certain that there was to be a lot more for her to try and uncover. She would have to try a more direct approach; less then throwing herself at him she'd have to actually try and have a conversation with his goons, Crabbe and Goyle; rumours were that they were incapable of stringing a proper sentence between them. The hulking pair didn't seem to have any magical powers that they had demonstrated, average wizards with a worse brain; maybe they passed a brain cell between them, how on earth had they gotten into Hogworts?

The lunch hour would end soon; she needed to catch some fresh air so it was down to the flower gardens she went to sit and contemplate about this new curiousness she was developing for a member of the family that her very own hated. If that was all that was developing, even she would be angry at herself if she ever started _liking_ Draco Malfoy, not to mention Ron would yell at her; Harry would be bewildered (he seemed to be that a lot lately) and Hermione would become even more insufferable, if that was even possible. Barely suppressing a shudder at the idea of that, Ginny reached out and gently traced the outline of a rose with her fingertip, the pink blossom nuzzled her hand and soon she practically had the flower in her lap.

"What's this then? Flowers bowing to a Weasley, don't you feel special?" A nasty tone invaded the sweet silence that had ensued for the last ten minutes. Ginny glanced up to see Pansy Parkinson sneering, her ugly pug face looking even more distorted than usual.

"What do you want, Pansy?" The younger girl spoke; voice quiet with resignation. The Slytherin laughed. It was a bitter bark of a laugh, mirthless and disbelieving.

"What do _I_ want? I want you to stop occupying my air space you disgusting muggle-loving filth. You and your family take up precious space. Even if there's only two of you left here. Oh, my bad, four Weasley's. What with the honorary Weasels, Potter and Mudblood Granger." Pansy looked extremely satisfied and Ginny looked down, anger surging through her resolve to ignore her as quickly as the robes on her back were withstanding the summer sunshine beating harshly on her back. The family insult was the one that really got her blood boiling, the dream team could have their problems and eat them too.

The silence was eating away at her insides; the triumph emitting from the girl in front of her and the sudden brittle and dry feeling in her eyes, her throat was tightening up. It was hard to swallow and her stomach was beginning to hurt from all the repressed emotion charging through her veins.

"Oh, Weasley! You're not crying are you?" Pansy asked in disgust, the malice emanating solidly from her words. "I swear, after every shame your family has encountered; you'd all have thicker hides, but obviously you have a shred of humility as you are turning incredibly red, if I do say--"

"--so who wrote the insults for you, Ms Parkinson? 'Cause I'm sure you couldn't think enough to say those from you're own mind." The sharp words could've only come from one person, and one person only; twisting around in her seat she saw the familiar shock of hair, glinting with even higher red highlights then it usually did. Funnily enough, the vision of another beloved Weasley was blurred, then hastily wiping at her eyes Ginny saw it was not Ron but another brother (she had a lot, you see)

"Who do you think you are?"

"I am a guest here, young lady. So I suggest that you watch your words with me!" the somewhat helpful sounds of Pansy storming off in a terrible huff. Bill Weasley crouched down in front of his baby sister with a sympathetic look, not a pitying, sympathetic; he was good at making sure there was a difference.

"Are you okay, Gin? That girl was pretty rough on you, huh?"

"You don't need to be nice. Go on, tell me I'm too old to be crying." Ginny said staring stubbornly down at the ground now, 

"Hey, it's only Ron that is that horrible. You're never to old to cry, besides; where is that horrible brother of yours? Your favourite wants to see him."

"Talking about yourself other than the first person isn't healthy, come to think of it-neither is working with Goblins so much."

"You shut up kid, before I make you." Bill threatened good-naturedly, messing up her already unruly hair. Despite the dried tears still lurking in the back of her throat, where it ached from holding the little droplets in so fiercely Ginny felt much better since the arrival of one of her long missed brothers. But why on earth why was he at Hogworts once more? The last time he had been there, and it was the last time she had actually seen him in the flesh was at the Triwizard Tournament back in her third year. Something was happening, she was sure of it. With a deeply burdened sigh she took his offered hand and let herself be pulled to her feet, something else to try and figure out.

* * * * *

…Meanwhile…

* * * * *

****

Draco

Your mother and I are concerned. Apparently a Weasley, yes another, has been brought into Hogworts for some reason and I want you to find out what exactly is he doing there. Oh and by the way, your birthday is coming up, send an owl back stating what you would like. I know you detest suprises, just like your father. Find out about that Weasley as soon as possible, as I also detest aforementioned suprises.

Your father

Lucius Malfoy

The seventh year Slytherin growled in response to the unfolded piece of parchment in front of him on the desk, that was his father's idea of a loving letter. _I'll have you know that I do have certain affection for surprises-oh bloody hell, I'm even thinking like that man now._ Draco would also be willing to bet that his mother was not concerned as long as it didn't interrupt her renovating of the East Wing, that had been her birthday present; an entire wing to redecorate to her tastes. Lucius Malfoy had only granted that because he never went to the East Wing himself, a fine gift for his wife. Almost gagging at the thought of something generous having to do with his father, Draco swept the letter from the desk and looked over at his father's owl.

"I'll send my own."

The black owl flew out the window immediately after his words and Draco placed his forehead squarely on his desk. It was lunchtime, he had seen the sun outside while walking through the courtyard, trying to keep to shade as much as possible and down in his room, thankfully a single, he could feel no trace of the heat. Another Weasley? At Hogworts, one of the elder ones obviously, that Head Boy one was at the Ministry of Magic, he knew that much, the bothersome twins opened a shop, he also knew that, that left two others. Ignoring the sudden hot flush of blood to his head thinking about the Weasley's, some of it anger, some unknown emotion and some of it was confusion at the very unknown emotion he couldn't decipher.

__

"…In order for me to kill someone…"

"…Draco?"

"…They have to matter…"

His wand hand was trembling and he started repeating to himself over and over that the wand coming up to meet the middle of the skin between her eyebrows was just a defense mechanism. 

"…I'm not going to kill you…not right now anyway…"

A shout of frustration spelt the end of his memory, catching on that the shout had come from himself. Draco lifted his head and looked at his bed, but somehow knowing his dreams would reveal something he did not want to see nor think about he would experience in that dream he was sure to have. Pulling off his school jumper he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and loosened the ever aggravating tie, leaving his room he clatter down the stairs, feeling almost childish at making such a racket, but it couldn't be helped. He was entitled to a little immaturity as his childhood could be named anything but. Draco passed Pansy and her little friends, only half taking in their shrieks of laughter and mocking voices then he stopped, almost skidding right into the wall.

"What?"

The group of girls stared open-mouthed at him.

"Stop staring, closes your mouths and explain to me what you're talking about!" 

Temper fraying he folded his arms staring impatiently at the group who had suddenly lost their tongues. After a sharp movement of his eyebrows they shifted, mildly shocked out of their stupor.

"Ah, right…" Pansy, flustered, bumbled over her words and explained the story, something about upsetting the Weasley girl. Staring thoughtfully at the Slytherin girl in the middle of the bunch, Draco nodded and carried on, formulating a plan to get rid of the thoughts of a certain pesky Weasley. He'd learn everything he could until he was sick of her, it was simple but genius, Draco only hoped it would work properly and then he could-_'What in the blazes? Walls moving around here too? What bloody next?'_ It was a rather soft wall, and the 'wall' was now on the ground staring up at him with a wide-eyed deer-in-muggle-car-headlights look in her eyes.

"Weasley!"


End file.
